~Chapter 102~
Feeling a hot gaze, Damian turned his head toward Riden.
Smile. Smile. Smile. Don’t act awkward.
She smiled as if she were simply thankful he had carried out her request well.
Hiding her trembling hands under the table, she forced the smile onto her face.
Damian also smiled back.
Ever since realizing Mari was a possessor, Riden had been suspicious and worried.
She’d always feared that they might be somewhere in this world.
She had practiced staying calm in her mind many times, but her body shook uncontrollably.
Luckily, it wasn’t Damian but Ethan who noticed the change in her.
Seeing her tightly clutch the hem of her dress to steady her trembling hands, he gently placed his own over hers.
His large, heavy hand pressed softly over her shaking one.
Are you okay?
His lips moved soundlessly.
The concern in Ethan’s black eyes made Riden feel like she might burst into tears.
She turned her hand over on her knee to hold his tightly.
I’m okay.
He seemed a little relieved.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
After saying goodbye to Adele and Young Viscount Fresen, they boarded the carriage back to the ducal estate.
Mari and Damian silently watched them leave.
Knock knock.
“Young lady, it’s Victoria.”
“Yes, come in.”
Victoria entered Riden’s room at the ducal estate, pushing a trolley.
“You ordered a cake, correct?”
On the trolley sat a snow-white fresh cream cake, with candles and matches beside it—exactly as Riden had ordered from the ducal patissier a few days ago.
After setting the cake, plates, and forks on the table, Victoria bowed.
“I’ll leave you now.”
“Thanks.”
Before lighting the candles, Riden opened the window wide.
The large garden of the ducal estate was bursting with flowers in full bloom.
Today, April 2nd, was the birthday Riden—no, Dain—had chosen for her parents.
She had never seen their faces, yet decided they must have been born on some day. Someone had given birth to them, and they had given birth to her.
They had not taken responsibility for their daughter, but still…
So Dain had made up a birthday for them.
Many would wonder why she would celebrate the birthday of parents who abandoned her.
But she had her reasons.
“Love these candles.”
She placed two vintage-colored, thick candles on the cake, avoiding the cherries—one for her mother, one for her father.
“Happy birthday.”
As always, she skipped the song and blew them out right away.
This was her “talking time.”
Whenever she faced something too hard to handle, felt wronged, or wanted to vent, she would save it up for a year and spill it all out on her parents’ birthday.
It wasn’t really for them—it was for herself.
But today, no words came out.
“……”
Her throat felt blocked.
She blinked, removed the candles, and cut herself a slice of cake.
Is it because nothing delicious is in it?
Wow… this patissier really is amazing.
The cream was dense, savory, fresh, and soft.
Finally, words came.
“Some people I hate have followed me here. They don’t seem to know who I am yet… should I just watch for now?”
Damian Florence was her ex-husband, Hwang Sung-min.
Then what about his mother and brother?
The moments she’d met Viscount Florence and his mother came to mind. The chills she had felt back then had been accurate.
They were Kim Si-eom and Hwang Byeong-min.
And Mari?
She must have been the manager.
It was impossible Mari was the only one among them she didn’t know.
When she realized Damian was her ex-husband, her hands had trembled—but now she felt coldly calm.
Better this way.
When she only suspected they might be possessors, it had left her uneasy and sleepless. But now that she knew, there was no need to be cautious with everyone—just with them.
“So, what should I do? Give me some ideas.”
They would ruin themselves without her touching them.
She could already picture the ending.
The only question was how long it would take—and whether she could stand to see them in the meantime.
Just then—
Knock knock.
“Who is it?”
“May I come in?”
It was the duchess’s voice.
“Yes, of course.”
What entered first was a massive three-tier cake, probably made by the patissier all day.
“Uh…”
Merrick pushed it in, smiling brightly.
“I heard from Victoria that you ordered a cake. Looks like the patissier misunderstood.”
He glanced at the simple cake she had been eating.
“How could the ducal patissier make something so plain for you?”
“Oh, I told them something simple was fine.”
“Mhm.”
He shook his head slightly.
“Whatever the occasion is, let’s use this instead.”
Behind Merrick, Samantha and Ethan came in, each holding candles and champagne.
Seeing the two used candles, Samantha asked:
“What’s the occasion?”
Ethan added, “Two candles means…”
Ah.
No way could she say she’d been sadly celebrating her made-up parents’ birthday alone.
“It’s the birthday of… someone I know. They’re far away.”
“……”
The cheerful mood sank instantly.
Ah, that must have sounded like she meant someone who’d passed away.
“They’re not dead—at least I don’t think so. They’re far away, but probably fine.”
When she clarified, Samantha sighed in relief and smiled.
“Then can we celebrate together? For that person far away?”
“Yes, of course.”
Soon the three-tier cake was covered in candles, all lit brightly.
They all looked at her.
“Do I blow them out?”
“Of course, dear—it’s your person.”
Facing the flickering candles felt strange.
She had always celebrated alone—or sometimes with her ex-husband.
Never with people watching, waiting to pop champagne the moment she blew them out.
“Fwoo, fwoo, fwoo, fwoo!”
When the last candle went out, pop!—champagne fizzed and sweet fragrance filled the air.
Merrick poured the golden liquid into her glass.
“Whoever they are, they must be happy—you care so much.”
“They probably have no idea.”
“Even so, feelings are always conveyed.”
Riden looked at Samantha, Merrick, and Ethan—still worried from yesterday’s lake incident.
She realized she had people here who would truly listen if she spoke.
I don’t need to cling to the ones who aren’t here anymore…
She sipped the champagne.
Cool, sweet liquid slid down her throat.
“What would you do, Duchess, in this kind of situation?”
“Mmm?”
“If it’s a problem that will solve itself eventually, but it takes time… Waiting means no harm to me, but I wonder if stepping in is a mistake.”
Samantha first summed up what she felt from Riden’s words.
“If time is the problem, you want it solved quickly. While you wait, it’s unpleasant or hard to endure.”
Riden nodded.
Samantha gave her answer without hesitation.
“Why wait? Enduring something you hate is foolish. If it bothers you, act.”
Riden smiled—it was like hearing the cork pop from the champagne: sharp, refreshing, and satisfying.
“You can’t enter here.”
The temple had two libraries—
One was the public library, open to all visitors.
The other, a sealed library, allowed entry only to certain church members with special permission.
The librarian of the sealed library eyed Riden suspiciously.
“The High Priest gave permission. Here’s the pass.”
The librarian studied it, then nodded.
“It’s valid. Look around, and call me if you need a document.”
Riden bowed lightly and stepped inside.
